Dein erstes Forum » waii looking to youngstersHawaii, which fell from

Shooting guard?J.R. Smith will not attend the Cleveland Cavaliers minicamp this week in California as he and the team remain at an impasse in contract talks, sources told ESPN.com.Cavs players and coaches are gathering for workouts for several days this week in Santa Barbara ahead of the start of training camp next week. The session is meant to create camaraderie ahead of the season. Last year, the team gathered in Miami for a camp that helped launch their eventual championship season.Smiths agent, Rich Paul, and the Cavs have been in a standoff since July, when Smith opted out of his contract. No recent progress has been made in the talks, sources said. Smith, who played a significant role at both ends of the court, is seeking a multiyear deal.Smith averaged 12.4 points per game last season, shooting 40 percent from the 3-point line.Smith is focused on returning to the Cavs -- and the team wants him back -- but Smith likely wont hesitate to miss part of training camp to see if his leverage changes. Other teams currently have cap space, and events in the preseason can change the situation. Last season, the Cavs were at an impasse with Paul and?free agent Tristan Thompson that saw Thompson miss all of the preseason before coming to terms.The Cavs have had free agents miss the entire preseason in contract stalemates three times since 2007 --Thompson, Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic -- while Dan Gilbert has owned the team.One of the reasons Smiths talks have failed to find common ground is the wide variety of contracts shooting guards signed during the offseason. Comparable shooting guards include Kent Bazemore (four years, $70 million), Eric Gordon (four years, $53 million) Jamal Crawford (three years, $42 million), Courtney Lee (four years, $48 million) and Joe Johnson (two years, $22 million).Over the past two summers, the Cavs have locked up nearly every player on the roster to rich, multiyear deals -- including four-time MVP?LeBron James, who signed a three-year, $100 million deal this summer. Last September, Smith bet on himself by agreeing to a deal that was only fully guaranteed for one season at $5 million. Replica Shoes Wholesale . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. Cheap Shoes China Wholesale . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. http://www.wholesaleshoes.us.org/ . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Wholesale China Shoes Free Shipping . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. Cheap Shoes China Free Shipping . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. Opening weekend left no doubt: NCAA volleyball is back. Well start off with a very noteworthy upset, and then work our way through other highlights of the first weekend of play.1. Tar Heel triumphThese things just dont happen to Penn State in volleyball. The Nittany Lions very rarely lose at home, and almost never to a non-conference opponent. They also dont let matches get away when theyve all but got a victory nailed down.But thats what makes sports endlessly fascinating, right? Seven-time NCAA champion Penn State was on the verge of closing out North Carolina in four sets Saturday. But trailing 23-18, the Tar Heels rallied for seven consecutive points to take the set. Then they won the fifth set 15-9, and won the Penn State Classic. Talk about a trophy that never expected to take an airplane trip.How unusual was this? It was just the 15th time -- ever -- that a non-conference volleyball opponent has won at Penn States Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions are now 316-15 in non-league matches there, and 580-34 overall.If anyone knew the historical significance, it was Tar Heels coach Joe Sagula, in his 27th year at North Carolina.This is going to be one that we will remember for a long time, Sagula said.The Tar Heels, whove won 12 ACC titles (most recently in 2014), were picked to win the league this year. Theyve consistently been a good program, albeit one with a losing overall record, 13-17, in the NCAA tournament. They had a tough end to last season, losing at home to Creighton in the NCAAs second round.But with four starters and their libero back, they had high hopes this season, and it couldnt have begun any better. North Carolina got 18 kills from sophomore Taylor Leath, who is from the State College, Pennsylvania, area and grew up watching the Nittany Lions. (By the way, shes also one of four players on the Tar Heels roster with the first name of Taylor. They must use nicknames a lot with this squad.).UNC freshman Julia Scoles made a great college debut, winning tournament MVP honors by compiling 30 kills and 33 digs in the Tar Heels three victories in State College. They swept Georgia Southern and West Virginia in their first two matches. North Carolina is now No. 12 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, with Penn State at No. 13.Next up for North Carolina? Just a friendly neighborhood matchup Thursday with archrival Duke (6:30 p.m. ET, Watch ESPN.)The loss will no doubt motivate Penn State, which faces Colorado and Stanford this weekend in the Big Ten/Pac-12 Challenge in Boulder, Colorado..dddddddddddd.2. USC goes 0-3Speaking of the Pac-12, traditional conference power Southern Cal had a very rough start. The Trojans, who were tied for seventh with Washington in the preseason poll, lost to Marquette, Santa Clara and UC Irvine at home in the Galen Center. That sent the Trojans plummeting out of the this weeks rankings.USC lost national player of the year Samantha Bricio to graduation, so it was expected there would be some growing pains. But its doubtful anyone figured USC would open like this. The Trojans will try to get on track with another tournament at home this weekend, but the competition is challenging. They take on No. 23 Kentucky, Northern Iowa, and No. 22 Creighton.3. Huskers solidify No. 1In the VERT Challenge in Eugene, Oregon, last weekend, top-ranked Nebraska opened with a 3-1 victory against Florida and a sweep of Texas. Nebraska-Texas was a rematch of last seasons NCAA final and a battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2. And it wasnt very close. The Huskers prevailed 25-15, 25-16, 25-21, led by a combined 21 kills from the Rolfzen twins, Kadie and Amber.However, Texas did start with a 3-1 victory against Oregon. The Longhorns lost three key seniors from last year, and they wont have middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu, who is taking the season off to focus on academics. It may take a little while for Texas, now ranked No. 3, to really develop its chemistry.4. Hawaii looking to youngstersHawaii, which fell from No. 6 to No. 15, is still without All-American senior star Nikki Taylor, who is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. The Rainbow Wahine lost their opening matches to visiting Wisconsin and Kansas State, and then trailed Arizona 2-0. But behind sophomore outside hitter McKenna Granatos career-high 33 kills, Hawaii rallied to win 3-2. And perhaps more unusual than North Carolina having four Taylors is Hawaii having two McKennas. The other is freshman defensive specialist McKenna Ross.5. Keep an eye on ... WisconsinThe Badgers moved up to No. 2 in the rankings after three victories in Hawaiis tournament, and the rest of their non-conference schedule is also extremely challenging. Friday, theyll take on San Diego (which beat Stanford last Friday). Then Wisconsin also has matches on the road against North Carolina, Louisville, Texas A&M and Texas before starting the grind of Big Ten play. Nobodys going to question the Badgers strength of schedule, thats for sure. ' ' '